Lung Transplant Process

Phase One: Referral & Evaluation

A transplant nurse coordinator will collect the appropriate medical records and schedule a transplant evaluation. Each patient is assigned a transplant nurse coordinator to facilitate communication through the entire transplant process.

The patient will have a comprehensive evaluation by all members of our transplant team, including the transplant physicians, transplant surgeons, transplant nurse coordinators, and may include dietitians, anesthesiologists, psychologists, social workers and financial coordinators. Appropriate testing also will be performed. Based on a thorough evaluation, the team will determine if the patient is a candidate for transplant.

Phase Two: Patient Listed & Awaiting Transplant

UNOS assists with the matching and sharing of organs throughout the U.S. This national list prioritizes organ allocation on the basis of the severity of illness, length of stay, blood type and geographic location. A patient on a transplant waiting list may be called at any time when a donor organ becomes available.

Phase Three: Transplantation

Once an organ is available for transplantation, the patient is notified by one of the transplant coordinators. The patient goes to Barnes-Jewish Hospital and is admitted to the transplant floor. After the transplant, the transplant team will follow the patient closely during recovery. In the first few weeks after being discharged from the hospital, the patient will be seen frequently in our outpatient clinic. The patient will need to stay near the hospital for the first few weeks of observation.

Phase Four: Follow-up after Transplantation

Once the patient is home, there will be regular contact with the nurse coordinator and will return periodically to Barnes-Jewish Hospital for follow-up exams. Over time, more routine care will be transitioned to the primary care physician. For continuity of care and to ensure the best outcomes, we follow our patients for the life of their transplant.

Lung Transplant Patient Guide

Current patients of the lung transplant program and their families can view the Lung Transplant Patient Guide for a comprehensive guide to their transplant process.

For more information on the lung transplant program at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, call
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1000th Lung Transplant

Washington University lung transplant surgeons reached a milestone and quickly passed it Jan. 21 when they performed the 1,000th adult lung transplant at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and the 1,001st transplant just a few hours later